Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-04-18
A NIGHT or TERROR.
The Ancient Town OF It. Augustine. Fl.
Again in Flames-Severai Buildings
Burned by lncendiaries-Two arre,,s
made and Many Threats of Lynchins.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. A

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla, April I6
OF. augustine. the historic city, as its ad.
mirers love to call il, seems to be in immi.
neht oanger of occupying space onlv on the
pages which preseve the past, as it was again
TINS morning, and for the second time within
.ne past week, the scene of confsgration.
This time the ravages of the flames were moi,
so serious as they were last Tuesday morn.
ing, but large area was burned over and
much property destroyed. This was all in
the northern part of the old citv, and iust in
side the city gates. Shortly after / O'clock
Harry Carney of Cambrldgeport, the night
watchman at the San Marco Hotel. had hi.
attention arrested by a cracking noise at the
corner of St George and Orange streets.
where he saw 4 small fire burning under the
moor OF two and half story uilding, occu.
ple0 by Geo. Meyers & Co grocers. He
rushed to the scene, dischargng his pistol as
ne ran, TO arouse the sleeping town. In the
meantime the San Marco steam whistle be.
gan sending out piercing blasts. The fire
was unquestionably of incendlary origin
| There are rumOrs that the oil barrels in the
building had beer opened snd the inf1amma
Bile material allowed to run over the floors
With startling rapidity the flames spread to
all parts of the building. and in a few min
utes it was completely enveloped in fire.
| From here the flames extended to the
building next SOUTH occupied by Mrs. Mum
die, who kept private day school for young
women This building was soon consum d
At this time the fire crossed to the south side
OF st. George street, and quickly enveloped
Bartola Olivero's dwelling, and from here
communicated to and destroyed small
building belonging to the same person and
used as fruit stand. To the west of Mev.
er's grocery the fire spread nearly to Spanish
street, sweeping away half dozen almost
valueless cabins and outbuildings on the
south, and below the private school the
photograph establishment owned by w. o.
Leighton of Boston, and wooden building
known as the candy kitchen, and occupied
by Eva G. Manson, confectioner, and Mrs.
Hunnycut, milliner, were DESTROYED.
These various structures completed the
list of devastation, but it seems almost mi.
rae ulOus that the count is not larger one.
None Of the buildings were very slightly, and
from an aesthetic point of view, all could be
well spared None of the buildings had any
insurance. As soon as the alarm was gwen
the firemen got their single small engine in
position at the nearest water, which was
about 1900 feet from the fire. Unfortunately
the fire department is provided with but 500
feet of hose, 50 that the engine was of no
d
On the San Marco boilers. and the powerful
pump of that hotel was at the service of the
fire department, but the city was unproviied
with a reducing coupling, so it was impossi-
BILE TO connect its hose with that of the hotel.
For these reasons it was only possible 10
| fight nth buckets, hooks and axes. All of
these implements were freely used and with a
! will, but the fact remains that the fire stop
! ped rather for the want of material tn an
through the devoted efforts of the firemen
and citizens. Much good, however, was ac-
compllshed by chopping dJwn small struct-
ures on the westerly side of the fire, and no
doabt Spencer's large lodging house on
Spanish street was saved by this very work
| OF course, it was night of wild alarm. and
people in all sections of The city packed their
trunks and household effects in readiness for
| instant removal, and some more eXcltable
| persons sent their baggage awav from points
that were in no manner threatened
| That the fire was of inCendiary origin
there is no doubt, and two arrests have hem
made, but the evidence is evidently t1imsy to
degree. Talk about vigi ance commit es
and lynching is rite, but it comes from a
small. uninfuential and ea,iy excited ele.
ment and it is of no import.
The loss, as nearly as can be learned, is
between $4,000 and $4,000, made up As
follows. Casper Marters, ST., four build
ings, $500; Geo. Meyers & Co stock, S2,-
900; G. w. Chavis, barber, $500; Wilson &
KIrkpatric, butchers, stock, $500, coin, $3.50 F;
Il. Leighton, photographer, 5000; b. Oivero,
two houses, $1,000; Mis-. f. W. Hunnycu ,
millinery, $3.50; Mrs. Mundie, private
school, $3.50; G. A. Manson, confectioner,
$500.